HC permanent bench issue : CAC members go on hunger strike

Lawyers of western Odisha, peeved over the lackadaisical attitude of the state government in establishing a permanent bench of the High Court in western Odisha intensified their stir on Wednesday by launching an indefinite hunger strike in addition to the boycott of judicial work that entered its third day.

Members of Central Action Committee (CAC) of Western Odisha Lawyers Association sat on a hunger strike in front of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) office here on Wednesday.

Those who are on hunger strike are CAC convener Ashok Das, senior members Sureshwar Mishra, Pramod Das, Satya Narayan Panda and Santosh Satpathy.

CAC convener Ashok Das told reporters that lawyers of western Odisha districts who are boycotting judicial work since February 3 will continue to do so till February 13 following which the future course of action will be decided.

Meanwhile, the lawyers body has urged all banks and financial establishments to down their shutters in on February 7, 8 and 10, to press for the demand for a permanent bench of the Odisha High Court in western Odisha..